New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-11
A PRINCES PEASANT BRIDE


THE LOVE STORY OF A NORTHERN ICICLE
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBusEl
PARIS, August 81
The Late Prince Peter Sayn Wittgensteln. though
his title and his grandfather, Marshal Wttgen-
stein, were German, were also his father half
brothers, was born and remained Russian. He
was an officer of the Cars Guard, and for many
years military attache at the Russian Eabassy
here. He was fabulousIy rich. His mother was
the beiress of the richest branch OF the Radziwi
family and was seized of estates In Russia on
which there were altogether 125, 900 serfs After
a minority in which she was plunderei by CON.
mission OF trustees and guardians, there Iemained
to her only S22500 year. Her husband, the son
of Marshal Wittgenstein, undertook q series of law
suits to make the p,underers dsgorge. He got out
of them $lO,5OO.OO0 cash, and the enormous
tates which her son has enjoyed ever since his ID
fancy. They were chiefly in Russia but there was
Polish estate brinl ing in yearly income OF
$lS7, 800, which he came into jointly with the
Princess Hohenlohe. now Statthalterin of Alsacs-
Lorraine his full sister. IL was whispered that the
late Prince of Ssyn Wittgenstein was the son Of
the Gar Nicholas, who when he was Grand Duke
made up TO Princess Stephanie and was not dis
couraged. A con sciousness on the part OF Nicholas
of the legal" father having discovered that this
was so was the cause of the bitter and undyns
hs tired which he manifested toward that injured
husband and which obliged the latter to quit Rus
STA and settle In Germany 18th his second WIFE
nee Princess Bariatinsky, who In her Eusoands
lifetime began love affair with List, the com.
poser. At any rate. Prince Peter Sayn Wittgen-
stein who has just died was the image OF the most
naughty aud unbending of the Russian Cars, aud
bad that peculiar stare of Nicholas which Queen
Victoria in writing of him mentions. The blue
Il. A-.1
and whenever the lid Got down appeared Gu
circled with White This was an unpleasant ugli-
ness. But otherwise he was very fne-lookns
man with correct pseudo-Greek profile. Atare-
view in the toll dress uniform of the Russian
Guard, the Prince was really an imposing person.
age. He was brought up at the Court of St Peters
burg which, before the Nihilists sobered 1t little
was rs his legal father said in his will, the most
frivolous and corrupt IN the world.
Well, Prince Peter had great contempt for
women; so much so that twenty years ago he was
regarded as q confirmed bachelor. The Princess
Metchersk, who became the wife OF Prince Paul
Demidoff aud the Princess Troubetskoi who suo-
ceeded her as that mlionaires second spouse, were
among those who were thrown at his head by am
bitious mothers. He was talked of in connection
with various beauties of the Imperial Court But
his alleged relations with them were not to their
honor and though he went to the dinners and sup
pers of the brilliant cocottes who cut such dash
in the time Of the Second Empire, they never
seemed to exercise any fascination upon him. he
was called " the Northern icicle" by the Princess
Mstternich, and King Frost" Yet this cold. stately
| man, who despised nearly every woman whom
| he knew and passed for being msogynist was
capable of q burning and . romantic and an endur-
| ing passion and may DO said to have died off
| broken heart, because his wife went 20 the grave
before HIM after union-for long time secret
| of nearly twenty years
She was servant in Breton inn when he nrst
saw her. He had gone to Brittany to see one OF
those picturesque religious meetings hall pagan
| half Christian and wholly Breton, known as
| Pardons l saw his bride in Paris good many
years ago. She staying with Breton woman
| of numb.s extraction like herself who had leda
rather curious sort of life. Princess Peter had the
neatest features conceivable, jet black hair, pen
cilled brows, bright black eyes expressing health
| vitality and quick perceptions, ana cleaning efen
teeth that Lit up the well-lighted face whenever
she laughed. She was fishers daughter at ke
lion, ard her father. grandfather four nncles and
three brothers had perished at sea- Whe9eveIt
| she heard high wind she crossed herself ana
offered up prayer for all who were out at sea ana
for all sailors and fishers orphans. Prince Sayn
Wlttgenstein did not like her to wear her peasants
costume. But she vas never at her ease unIess,
| in 10. She the most unaffected soul awe anu
| was only happy with her own people. frince feset
| built chateau for her Of almost regal splendo.
But she made a condition that IL should DE easiy
| convertible into an orphanage 1t was her wsn
| that IL should be ultimately turned into reiuss
| fer the widows and orphans of fishers. she kTx
nearly every family along the stormy s,reiea ~
beach near Ashanti Head, and the good sho q uu
| her simple way showed how well Prince reg.
| Judged ner when he determined to make her nv
wife Though pious Catholic she was DO osoSS
The husband intended that she was, II she sufvN w.
him. TO do as she pleased with his fortune. wu.ys
10 this way was not hereditary. In the lie OF ~
| maternal grandfather 1t was contiscated Dy vi
Car Paul. Alexander l. restored It as "a pofs s,a
| favor to the Princess Sterhanie Radziwi. a.od .
ward Princess Sayn Wittgensten, ana sne !; mt h;s
| n donation of 1t to her husband. lie gave n ~
lifetime and soon after her death to their son hs
because the Car Nicholas conveyed u 70 W." This
| he would bs glad OF such an arransemon5S PIN
| was meant and unders TODD TO be coniinanu' III
cess Hohenlohe. II her brother has not , nshn Ras
| comes ito the fortune of her late ptv5mes ss
| will the Car allow her to keep inc AZ . and
| latest The probability Is that no VIII no' "A
| that sne will have TO sell them. $500, al tina
| Prince Peter Sayn Wittgenstein deVo,eu ,;,ains
energy in him which survived his wie 10 o ,a.a to
| n matisoleum In which they are poth 10 SCI air
gether 1t is to be also lighthouse anu Ia hand
| Chapel A beacon light will DO placed III 'h' ''
| of a statue of Mary Star of the Sea.
| ~